Rock Around the Clock facts for kids
"Rock Around the Clock" is a famous rock and roll song. It was written in 1952 by Max C. Freedman and James E. Myers. Myers used the pen name "Jimmy De Knight" for the song. The most well-known version was recorded by Bill Haley & His Comets in 1954. They recorded it for American Decca.
This song became a number one hit in both the United States and the United Kingdom. It even returned to the UK Singles Chart in the 1960s and 1970s. While it wasn't the very first rock and roll song, it helped make rock and roll popular around the world. Many people see it as a song that brought rock and roll into mainstream culture. It is ranked number 158 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Contents
The Story of a Rock and Roll Hit
"Rock Around the Clock" was first recorded by a band called Sonny Dae and His Knights. They recorded it on March 20, 1954. However, James E. Myers said he wrote the song especially for Bill Haley. For different reasons, Bill Haley could not record it until April 12, 1954.
The Song's Original Name
The song's full original title was "We're Gonna Rock Around the Clock Tonight!". Later, it was shortened to "(We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock". This longer version is mostly used for the 1954 Bill Haley Decca Records recording. Most other recordings, including those by Sonny Dae, simply use "Rock Around the Clock".
A Song for History
In 2018, "Rock Around the Clock" was chosen for the National Recording Registry. The Library of Congress picked it because it is "culturally, historically, or artistically significant." This means the song is very important to history and culture.
Images for kids
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Sheet music cover for the recording by Bill Haley and His Comets on DECCA Records, Myers Music, Philadelphia, 1955.
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1955 UK release as a Brunswick Records 45 single, 45–05317.
See also
In Spanish: Rock Around the Clock para niños
